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Ingham panel recommends cut to health services millage

The Ingham County Board of Commissioners took the first step toward cutting a controversial health services millage Monday night. After a 25-minute discussion, the board’s Human Services Committee voted to reduce the millage by about a third, from 0.52 mills to 0.35. The move would save taxpayers about $1.1 milion a year.

LANSING — The Ingham County Board of Commissioners took the first step toward cutting a controversial health services millage Monday night.

After a 25-minute discussion, the board’s Human Services Committee voted to reduce the millage by about a third, from 0.52 mills to 0.35.

The move would return about $1.1 million to the county’s taxpayers, according to figures from the county controller’s office.

“Hopefully the finish line is in sight,” Commissioner Todd Tennis, D-Lansing, said of an issue the board has discussed for about a year.

The millage, approved by the voters in 2012 and 2014, generates about $3.5 million a year to provide basic health care for the county’s neediest residents. However, with more people qualifying for health care under the Affordable Care Act and Medicare, participation in the millage-funded-program has plummeted by some 90 percent.

The board’s Finance Committee will discuss lowering the millage when it meets Wednesday. County Budget Director Teri Morton said passage by that panel — which is almost certain — will make the millage reduction part of an overall 2016 budget going before the full board on Oct. 27.

The lowered millage would take effect Jan. 1.

As health care reimbursements dropped, the millage generated a surplus of $10 million. That’s controlled by Ingham Health Plan Corp., a health care group that had been getting most of the millage money. The county can’t touch it, but on Sept. 21 the board voted to limit IHP’s allocation to $1 million a year.

The Lansing Regional Chamber of Commerce has been pushing for a reduction, if not the elimination, of the millage. Tim Daman, the chamber’s president and CEO, has called the IHP cap a positive first step.

“We’re certainly pleased to see the county commission has come together to address these concerns,” he said of the committee’s action Monday night.

Contact Curt Smith at (517) 377-1226 or csmith@lsj.com. Follow him on Twitter @CurtSmithLSJ.